The government\u2019s policy to restrict social media access for children\nunder 16 years of age deserves appreciation as a preventive step amid\nthe strong current of the digital age. At that age, children generally\ndo not yet possess sufficient maturity in making decisions, let alone in\nfacing the complexities of the online world filled with information,\nopinions, and influences that are not always healthy. This restriction\nserves as an important signal that not all digital access should be\ngranted without age readiness and maturity.<\/p>\n
From an Islamic perspective, social media fundamentally falls into\nthe category of mubah\u2014permissible to use as long as it does not violate\nthe principles of sharia. However, this permissibility is not absolute.\nIt greatly depends on the purpose and impact of its use. Something that\nis originally permissible can become harmful when it opens the door to\ngreater damage.<\/p>\n
This is where the concept of sadd dzari\u2019ah in usul fiqh studies\nbecomes relevant: closing the path to harm before the harm actually\noccurs. A simple analogy can be drawn from the use of a knife. For\nadults, it is a useful tool. But for children who cannot yet control\nthemselves, it can become a source of danger. Thus, restriction is not\nmerely a prohibition, but a form of protection.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, restriction must not stop at itself. Because\nrestriction may reduce access, but it does not automatically generate\nawareness. Children who are restricted without being equipped with\nunderstanding may seek loopholes by using others\u2019 accounts, falsifying\ntheir age, or accessing through other means. In such situations, what\nemerges is not discipline, but superficial compliance: obedient when\nsupervised, but free when unobserved.<\/p>\n
It is at this point that education takes on an irreplaceable role.\nIslam does not only know prohibitions, but also emphasises the process\nof tarbiyah\u2014building character and inner awareness. Children are not\njust kept away from risky things, but also need to be prepared to manage\nand respond to them wisely when access is eventually opened.<\/p>\n
Character education in the digital context has become an urgent need.\nChildren need to be taught not only what is allowed and not allowed, but\nalso why something needs to be avoided or done. They need to be trained\nto have self-control, responsibility, and the ability to filter\ninformation. Without that, prohibitions will only change how children\naccess, not how they think.<\/p>\n
The roles of parents and schools are very central in this matter.\nState regulations will not be effective without being reinforced by\neducation in the family and educational institutions. Parents cannot\njust prohibit, but also need to be present as guides who understand\ntheir child\u2019s world. Schools cannot just transfer knowledge, but must\nalso instil digital ethics as part of character education.<\/p>\n
In a study conducted by the author, it was found that the intensity\nof screen time influences the level of religiosity among students,\nalthough it is not the sole determining factor. This finding shows that\nintense interaction with screens\u2014including social media\u2014can affect a\nperson\u2019s way of thinking, habits, and even spiritual depth. If at the\nuniversity student age the impact is already felt, then for children\nstill in the character formation stage, the influence can certainly be\nmore significant.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, this phenomenon can be viewed through the concept of\n\u201ckhalil\u201d\u2014something close and has a strong influence on a person. In\ntraditional life, a child\u2019s \u201ckhalil\u201d is usually parents, teachers, or\nthe closest social environment. But in modern life, social media is\ngradually taking that position. It becomes a constant companion, the\nmain source of information, and a shaper of perceptions and values.<\/p>\n
When social media has become a \u201ckhalil\u201d, its influence is no longer\nmerely technical, but also ideological and emotional. It shapes\nworldviews, determines standards, and even affects identity. At this\npoint, the issue is no longer just about what is allowed or not, but who\nis closest and most influential in shaping a child\u2019s self.<\/p>\n
In the end, what is needed is not just children without social media\naccounts, but children with character readiness to use them. Because\nwithout education, prohibitions will only delay the problem\u2014not solve\nit. In this digital era, protecting children is not just about limiting\naccess, but ensuring their education so that what is closest to them is\nvalues\u2014not just screens.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/children-restricted-but-have-they-been-educated-1775962243", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }